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LSC 155: Life Sciences Communication. First-Year Seminar in Science Communication (Fall 2025) : How to SIFT the Truth

"All I know of the world beyond the narrow range of my own personal experience is what others have told me"

Quote from Patrick Wilson, Information Scientist, from his book, Second Hand Knowledge: an Inquiry into Cognitive Authority, 1983

Question: What does Wilson's quote mean to you?

Lateral Reading 

Digital literacy expert Michal Caulfield developed a method called SIFT (Stop, Investigate the source, Find better coverage, Trace claims, quotes, and media to their original context) to consume information critically.

The SIFT method is a version of lateral reading, which is different from the horizontal reading that we are used to because it forces us to leave the original text and investigate across other sources. This could mean having many tabs open on a computer or many books on your desk. The point is to not rely on one source of information that you read from top to bottom.

Video: Online Verification Skills - Video 3: Find the Original Source 

Note: Turn on closed captions with the “CC” button or use the text transcript if you prefer to read.

Reflection

Video Clip Review

In the first video clip that we watched, Kyla Scanlon said:

“AI is going to create a lot of information and noise, and it will be increasingly important for people to be able to sort the truth out from that... You have to be able to know what’s true and what isn’t and have your own moral and value compass.”

Write or draw how you decide what is true or not true

  • How do you identify what to question?
  • How do you fact check?
  • What tools do you use?
  • Who do you talk to?